


a man awake at night

by frausorge



Series: our own device [2]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Infidelity, M/M, San Jose Sharks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-22
Updated: 2017-04-22
Packaged: 2018-10-22 18:53:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10703034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frausorge/pseuds/frausorge
Summary: No one blinks when they see Dan.





	a man awake at night

**Author's Note:**

> Set on October 25, 2016.
> 
> Title from Eddie Money.

No one blinks when they see Dan. All the regular guys come to shake his hand and hug him, of course, Jumbo most noisily of all, but even the newer kids nod and smile like they know him. Pat wraps his arms around Dan and beams when he steps back. He doesn't say anything about the Rangers or the playoffs. Dan doesn't even know why he bothers to feel relieved; he should have trusted that Pat wouldn't go there. Picks and Brauner come and slap Dan on the back, and then he hears the unmistakable yell from behind him: "Boyler!"

"Burnzie!" Dan says, and a heavy hand lands on his neck.

Dan steels himself and turns around. The beard is even wilder than he remembers, but the shape of Brent's grin under it and the bright red of his lips are exactly the same.

"It's good to see you, man," Brent says. "I've been talking to everyone about you all day! I've really missed you."

"Yeah, I missed you too," Dan says. That's fine, that's nothing he couldn't say to any of the guys.

Brent lays his palms on Dan's cheeks and shakes Dan's head back and forth. "Knew it wouldn't be long till I'd see you here again."

"Yeah, well," Dan says. "This is where I call home." There's more to it, of course, it's never quite as simple as that, but if anyone were to call him on it, he could point to the house they never sold, master suite with his and hers vanities, bedrooms for each of the kids, a yard landscaped with drought-tolerant native plants, you don't give up that kind of real estate in the Bay area. Home, again and still, like he never left.

Brent rubs his fingertips over Dan's cheekbones, where the skin is soft above his stubble. "We'll catch up more after," he says. Dan bites his lip and nods.

Vinny gives Dan a jersey to wear for the faceoff. His name and number are neatly ironed on, but it looks oddly unbalanced with teal shoulders and only one orange stripe. Dan pulls it on and then looks around for something else to cover it up so he won't draw too much attention too soon. There are a few jackets and hoodies left lying around on the chairs in the lounge. He picks up one that's big enough to fit on top of everything else, pulls the hood up, and heads down the hall to watch warmups.

The ice looks the same, sounds the same, and smells the same. Dan's calves twitch with the urge to step out onto it.

Brent does his kick steps and his jumps, then zooms in toward the net.

"Just like old times," Nabby says in Dan's ear.

"Hah! Yeah," Dan says. Nabby pats him on the back and stands next to him, eyes trained on the goal, for a few more minutes. Then he slips away again into the locker room.

Some guys start coming back off the ice, high-fiving Dan as they pass. Dan swallows as Brent steps onto the mats and heads toward him. Brent nudges him further back into the tunnel.

"Nice," Brent says, poking at the left side of Dan's chest. 

"What," Dan says.

Brent leans down, further than usual since Dan's not in skates, and brushes a lightning-fast kiss over Dan's lips. "Fuck, it's good to have you here," he says. "Find me after the game, yeah?"

He doesn't wait for an answer, just clomps away to the room.

Dan stands in the hallway and doesn't touch his mouth. He's not going anywhere after the game. He made vows and apologies and promises all over again. Nothing's going to happen just because he's back here.

The last few guys file by as they head off. Dan forces a smile for Tomáš and edges out to the mouth of the tunnel for one more look. The main lights in the arena go down. The zambonis start circling each other on the ice. The black curtain covering the shark head shifts and stirs overhead.


End file.
